Scarred Torture
by Anteyra
Summary: Sequel to The Last One. 5 years since Marlaya joined Enterprise and her twins are now 5 years old and becoming very difficult to handle. An away mission meeting a species called Torkaya soon sends the Enterprise back to Hundaria IV. Chapter 3 up!
1. The Journey

The Turbolift doors opened and Captain Jonathan Archer stepped out onto the bridge of the Enterprise NX-01.

"Good morning" he said, greeting his officers in the situation area, situated directly behind the bridge. Waiting for him were T'Pol, Trip, Malcolm, Hoshi, Travis and Marlaya. "So, what have we got today?" he moved into his normal position at the end of the table facing the bridge.

"Something you might be pretty interested to know about. A Minshara class planet. About 3 light years off our current course." Trip said smiling, and as if he read John's mind he quickly added. "Population about 4 billion!"Archer was now excited. A wide grin covered his face and he laughed slightly. A planet that had roughly the same population as earth.

"Are they capable of warp drive?"

"Yes sir. Tarnisians have come across these guys a couple of times. Their species are called Torkaya." Marlaya replied. Archer kept smiling, this was going to be a good day and he wanted to get down on that planet. A new first contact trial, so hopefully everything was going to go well.

"Let's go and say hello. Malcolm, prep a shuttlepod. Standard orbital approach Travis." The officers nodded and departed, moving off to their various stations and to fulfil their newly given tasks. Marlaya and Trip stayed in the situation area. She tried to stifle a yawn, but Archer noticed her movements. "Trouble sleeping?" He asked. She looked at him and slightly smiled.

"You could say that. It's the twins. They were half the night arguing about who was going to sleep on which side of the bed. A pillow fight soon ensued." Trip andArcher laughed with Marlaya. No matter what kind of situation they were in, their new security officer could usually make people laugh and feel better.

"Cap'n, those two are now 5 years old. Maybe they're now old enough to have a room of their own. Give Marlaya some peace and quiet for once." When Marlaya had gone to Starfleet academy she had to take her children with her, and nomatter how tough they were to handle she still managd to pass through, gaining a very high score... Matching what Malcolm had managed to pass through.

"We'll sort it out once we've met the Torkaya. Marlaya will do the initial greetings." Marlaya looked at Archer with slight shock labelled on her face. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah. I don't know how they greet each other. I've only ever heard of them."

"Never mind. I'm sure we'll be able to cope." Together Trip and Marlaya left the bridge. Marlaya made her way off to her quarters and when she got there and opened the door it looked as if the Enterprise had been in a hard fight. Marlaya stood in the mess looking at the clothes and books strewn across the floor and then at her two daughters. Avide and Seejeah. both were trying to look innocent.

"What have you been doing this time?" The two girls tried to avoid their mother's stare and stayed absolutely silent. They knew that they had done wrong, but they couldn't help it. They were constantly bored, no other children the play with and they weren't allowed to many areas of the ship. "That's it. We're finding you your own quarters. I can't take any more of this. I'll set you up in one of the quest quarters. Come with me now." The two girls quickly exited the room and waited along the corridor. Marlaya looked at the mess and sighed heavily. She then left and took her two girls to empty guest quarters. Avide in one and Seejeah in another, splitting them up so no more damage or arguing could be done. She then locked them in so they couldn't get to each other. And there she left them. It was the first time she had actually had to split them up, and she wasn't please that she had done it. She made her way back to her room and sighed looking at the mess. It was going to take her a long time to clean it all up.

"Archer to ensign Marlaya. Please report to launch bay 1." Archer's voice came over the COMM system. Marlaya moved over to the panel and pressed the button so she could reply to the Captain's call.

"I'm on my way sir." She took one last look at the destroyed room, sighed and left.

Upon entering the Launch Bay, Malcolm noticed her features, slow walking, hand on head as if she had a headache.

"Is everything all right?" he asked as he moved forward to her.

"No." She took her hand away from her forehead and placed them both on her hips.she sighed deeply before continuing. "I've just had to split them up... I can't take any more of them. They're both in empty guest quarters. Locked so they can't get to each other. I hope you don't mind sir."

"Not at all." Archer replied and they all got in the shuttlepod. "What was it this time?"

"The room looks like it was a bomb test site." She sighed as the other men slightly smiled at her description of her now messy quarters. The pod left Enterprise and made it's way down to the planet. Whilst Marlaya had been dealing with her daughters Archer had contacted the planet, their ruler was a man called Chancellor Narzuc,and he had agreed that they could go down and hopefully establish a successful first contact with the Torkaya.

The shuttlepod landed at the co-ordinates the chancellor had given him. It was a small area, concrete paved. There were a couple of other small space craft, obviously for transportation to any larger vessels that might be orbiting the planet. Around the edge of the area were flowerbeds, giving the place a calm and serene feel to it. The flowers were vibrant colours, and many small insects buzzing around them, most likely collecting some sort of nectar to make wax and honey. Archer opened the hatch of the pod and stepped out followed by Trip, Malcolm and Marlaya. They looked around them at the scenery. The landing pad was obviously on a fairly high hill looking over a valley. A wide river ran through the middle meandering until it reached the sea. It was a breath-taking site. A small group of people moved over to Archer.

"Greetings Captain Archer. Welcome to Gandah." Said one man as he shook hands with Captain Archer. Gandah was the name of the city that they had arrived in, and it was the capital of the Torkayan homeworld. The chancellor was about the same age as captain Archer and he had slightly greying, almost black hair. His eyes were blue and his clothes consisted of a white shirt and red trousers. The Torkaya's physical appearance was identical to humans – nothing to be able to tell them apart. If an alien completely new to both the Torkaya and Humans had to identify which was which, it was most likely that he would get them wrong.

"Chancellor." Archer replied. "This is my chief engineer Commander Charles Tucker, My Armoury officer, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, and Ensign Marlaya." As Archer introduced each of his officers to the chancellor he moved forward and shook hands with each of them.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all. May I introduce to you my wife… Lia." He indicated a woman standing slightly behind him. As her name was said she slightly bowed her head. She was wearing a tight green top with black velvety looking trousers. Her hair was short and blonde and her eyes were brown. "Vice chancellor Eidaian." He looked to his right where a man was standing. A fairly tall dark haired man with blue eyes and glasses stood in a dark brown shirt with beige coloured trousers. "And my daughter… Vera." A young woman, around the same age as Marlaya stepped forward and the chancellor puts his arms around her. She had slightly reddish, blonde hair and blue eyes. She also wore a blue top with purple trousers.

"It' a pleasure to meet you all."

"You said that you were a species called humans, captain."

"Yes that's right. Marlaya, however, is of a species I believe you already know of. Tarnisian." Archer explained as they began to leave the landing site and made their way towards one of the flowerbeds. The away team inspected the flowers. There were big ones, small ones, tubular shaped ones, bell shaped ones, frilly ones, deep coloured, pale coloured. A couple of palm like trees stood in the corners of each of the flower beds, providing a small amount of shade for the benches that had been placed by the flower beds. The Chancellor smiled at the mention of the Tarnisians.

"Yes. I was very shocked to hear the news that their homeworld was destroyed. I thought the Tarnisians were gone forever until I heard from the Gregtarnans that a few were still alive."

"There are only 4 Tarnisians left alive. Myself, my brother and my two 5 year old daughters. My mother was Seejeah, the queen of the Tarnisians." Marlaya explained. Sadness and tension could be detected in her voice as she spoke of her past and what was left of her people. The Chancellor stopped walking and turned round to face her. Eidaian, Vera and Lia did the same, eyeing their visitors, especially Marlaya.

"Forgive me. But the Gregtarnans told me that around 50 Tarnisians were still alive. I was told that about 6 years ago." Vera replied. "I was told they were on a new planet. Hundaria IV."

"That's not possible. I was there, on Hundaria IV as a prisoner, for four years after the planet was destroyed. I would've sensed if there were other Tarnisians on the planet."Marlaya explained to the people around her.

The Chancellor moved forward and looked deep into her lilac eyes. "A peaso." He said. "Tell me, Marlaya… did they torture you while you were there?" His voice was gentle and Marlaya could sense he cared for the well being of Tarnisians as the relationship between the Torkaya and the Tarnisians had been well established. Marlaya sighed before replying to the chancellor's question

"Often. A couple of times I was nearly left for dead. It's while I was a prisoner that I became pregnant with twins." She sighed again. it hurt her deeply totalk of those years she was a prisoner of the Gregtarnians. she had always hated them fr the murder of her people and the pain she had endured at their prison camp. the Chancellor nodded his head.

"Do you remember much about what happened at the prison camp?"

Marlaya shook her head. "Not a lot." She sighed. she thought back to those years but the only thing she could remember was the day she met Trip and Malcolm.

"Then perhaps I can help you." Malcolm and Trip noted that sometimes the Chancellor could be slightly cryptic in his words.

"What are you saying Chancellor?" Archer asked as they began to move again.

"I believe that Marlaya was drugged. A drug which blocks some memories."

"But why…" Marlaya began. Sudden realisation hit her. "Do you mean I was drugged so I would forget that there were other Tarnisians on that planet. Make me believe that I was the only one left?" she asked him. Malcolm looked slightly concerned at what Marlaya was suggesting and the way Narzuc was responding.

The chancellor nodded again. "There is only one way to be sure." They continued moving off. Marlaya stopped walking and Malcolm placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her comfort, and she needed it. She was hearing what she thought she would never hear again. With the extra comfort she was getting from Malcolm she continued to follow the Torkayan Chancellor. moving through the city. not many people seemed to be afraid of the appreance of the humans and most continued with their daily chores and business. a few people came up to the Chancellor and his family and greeted him before greeting his new friends and moving off. They soon cameto a building, about 4 stories high. I looked like the headquarters of Starfleet back on Earth. they made their way down stairs and along corridors until they came to a room. Narzuc typed in a code on a small keypad control panel and the door slid open. The group filed into a room. In the centre was a reclining chair, and several wires linking to different small appliances, hung on a rack. Marlaya looked at the chair and recognised what it was from what she had heard from friends who had been to the Torkaya.

"What is that?" Trip asked as the chancellor moved over to stand next to the chair. The chair itself looked comfortable, but the objcts linked to the wires, however, could prove to be the opposite of the effect of the chair.


	2. Memories

The group looked at the chair.

"Marlaya." Narzuc beckoned for Marlaya to move over, but she was reluctant and wanted to stay near Malcolm.

"What is that thing?" Malcolm asked, hoping he would get a reply.

"It's a mind probing machine. It allows someone to go back into lost thoughts and memories and find out the truth about certain things." Vera replied as she stepped closer to Malcolm and Marlaya.

"And from what I've heard it's a very painful process." Marlaya had her arms crossed in front of her chest. An old friend of hers had once been shown the chair and she had explained what it was like.

"Yes. That is a downside to this method, but we are trying to develop it to make it less painful." Eidaian informed the away team who were all looking uneasy about Marlaya using the chair. But no matter how painful she had heard it being described, Marlaya wanted to know if there really were others still alive. It was her people, she couldn't abandon them. She was, as far as she knew, their queen now, even if her mother was still alive she still couldn't abandon then and leave them in the hands of the Gregtarnans. She bit her lip while she thought.

"You don't have to go through with this if you don't want to. No one's going to force you." Narzuc called as he took a few steps towards them. Marlaya looked between all the people in the room, and her eyes finally rested on the chair. Pictures of her family and friends then suddenly flashed through her mind so quickly all of it was nearly a blur. Tears quickly began to show in her eyes. She missed her family so much.

"I'll do it." Her voice was almost inaudible as she tried to fight back her tears and pain.

"Are you sure?" Archer asked and moved over to her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and she nodded at him. She cleared her throat before she answered him.

"Yeah. I'm sure. If some of my people are live I need to know. So does Ba'Dan." She nodded at her friends.

"All right." Archer replied. He stepped to one side and Vera led Marlaya up to the chair. She took her place and lay down on it. Malcolm wasn't too pleased that she had decided to take up the offer and he was slightly wary of them. Having been attacked by aliens who looked peaceful on first impressions, he had learnt to try and get to know them better before agreeing to anything they had to offer, but the fact that Marlaya knew about the Torkaya's reputation put his mind slightly at rest. Trip, Archer and Malcolm watched as Narzuc and Eidaian began to place a few of the wires on her forehead and also on the back of her hands. A couple were then placed on her stomach.

"What are those for?" Trip called. He wanted to know exactly what Marlaya was going to be going through.

"These are to monitor her heart rate, brain activity, blood pressure and also to stimulate the mind to try and unlock the memories she can't remember." The vice chancellor moved over to a couple of computer screens placed on a wall near to the chair. He turned them on and several different pictures sprang up. A few steady beats told them that the pads were sending her heart rate to the monitors. "If anything gets too high and could present life long problems then we will shut it down immediately."

Archer nodded. He crossed one hand over his chest and rested one elbow on the forearm allowing him to rest his head on one hand. Eidaian and Narzuc then began to strap her down onto the chair. If the pain got too much then she could cause herself damage by falling off and so it was only for her protection and safety tat she didn't have much manouverabilty.

"Are you prepared for this Marlaya?" Narzuc leant over the chair to look at Marlaya. She nodded her head. "Right. I'll need you to try and concentrate on anything you can about the time you spent at that prison camp." Narzuc looked at Eidaian and nodded at him. He pressed a couple of buttons on the monitor and the process had begun. Marlaya closed her eyes and her mind went back to the four years she had spent at the prison camp.

88888

_As the spear ripped through Marlaya's skin she screamed in pain. The shaft was pulled away and she fell on the ground, holding her injured limb, trying to stop the bleeding, but the ripped flesh of her body was too big that it wouldn't do any good. Tears flowed from her already reddened eyes as she tried to ignore the pain... But it was no use. The only thing her mind could think of was the pain, the bleeding, and the torture. The grin on the guards face was like a dagger to her heart and it shattered all her hopes that she would ever leave the planet alive… ever leave it soon and escape the torment that she was put through nearly every day since arriving. She looked at her arm and saw the blood dripping down onto the stone floor. She looked back up at the guards and she was suddenly struck round the face… and that was it… there was nothing else… just darkness…. She had been knocked so hard her head had hit a wall and she was now lying on the floor unconscious._

_88888_

Malcolm could see that Marlaya's face was beginning to tense up with pain. In his mind he began to picture what it was that she could be remembering. Having seen himself and Trip being tortured he had a rough idea of what it was she was thinking of. Archer kept his eyes on the monitors, especially the one that showed her heart rate. Since the process had started it had already increased and was still increasing every couple of minutes.

88888

_Marlaya was in a dark room. It was cold and wet. The sound of a door creaking open forced the young girl to shudder. Her blindfold prevented her from seeing who it was that was coming but she knew why. Arms reached down, grabbed her and dragged her onto her bare feet. She was pulled down into a room where she was chained to a brick wall. The two guards ripped off her torn blood stained top and immediately the young girl began to shiver from the cold. Her front was facing the damp chill of the brown bricks. A SWOOSH was heard and the suddenly a CRACK as rope struck across her bare back. Many cuts were already there and the blow of the ropes intensified the sting from the previous days. She cried out as each time her back was stuck… only one questioned went though her mind… 'Why are they doing this to me?'… She had never done anything wrong to them. The rag that was used as a blindfold was already fairly damp from her tears and her beautiful dark brown hair with blue streaks had lost it's shine and was greasy, showing many days of this dreadful torture… it was possibly even months… she had lost count of how long she had been there... how long it had been since her planet had been destroyed._

_88888_

A couple of tears flowed from the corners of Marlaya's closed eyes and both Trip and Malcolm could see that her memories were getting worse. Her fists were also beginning to clench, showing her hatred for the years of pain she had to endure. Malcolm looked away for a brief moment, but he couldn't keep his eyes off her. He had to know what she was going through… he was the one that Marlaya had put most of her trust into… agreeing to act as the father for the twins. The fact that Marlaya asked him to do this showed her respect for him. Malcolm had always been kind and gentle with her and he was always there for her when she needed to talk. Her breathing had become quicker and sharper now and the pain of the memories deepened.

88888

_Marlaya desperately tried to get out of the grasp of the two Gregtarnan guards that were holding her back. Tears flowing down her face as she watched the flames leap high into the sky. The screams of a woman rang through her ears and the heat and the flames burned her alive. Many Gregtarnans stood and watched as the queen of the Tarnisians… Seejeah… Was burned alive… it was the worst kind of torture that Marlaya had to watch, even worse than seeing her planet destroyed. Through the blurred vision of her eyes Marlaya could see the group of Tarnsians that were being forced to watch as Seejeah was murdered. As the flames died down all that was left of the queen was ashes. The Gregtarnans had moved away allowing the Tarnisians to move over and comfort Marlaya. Lorella, Marlaya's younger sister, was the first to reach her. She was kneeling on the ground. There was nothing anyone could do for her now. Seejeah was dead and gone._

88888

As the pain began to flood back to Marlaya she began to wriggle, desperately trying to get awayfrom the chair and she began to scream in pain, as if she were trying to reach her mother and prevent her death, but it couldn't be done…. The straps around her ankles, her wrist, her waist and her chest prevented her from doing that, just like the guards and held her back.

Malcolm couldn't stand any more of it… watching Marlaya like that… it was too much for him. He rushed over to the chair and began to pull the straps off.

"Leave them alone!" Narzuc cried as he tried to pull Malcolm away, but Malcolm continued to get her off the chair and comfort her. As soon as all the straps were off her he pulled her up to him and hugged her tightly. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him close to her. Narzuc and Eidaian moved over and took the wires off Marlaya's body. She buried her head into Malcolm's shoulder, resulting in his uniform becoming damp, but it didn't bother Malcolm. As long as he knew that Marlaya was all right and no longer in pain he was happy.

"It's all right Marlaya. You're safe. Shush now. It's all right. I'm here." Malcolm kept repeating. He knew that saying those kinds of things always helped someone to fell safer as he had often done it with the twins.

Trip and Archer moved over to give more comfort to Marlaya. Trip gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"They're there." Marlaya managed to say in between her tears as she tried to get her breath.

"There are Tarnisians on Hundaria IV?" Trip asked, knowing what the answer was going to be already.

"They killed her! They killed my mother!" She cried out. That last memory had been so painful for her. The four Torkayan officials stood to one side. Narzuc had his hands on Vera's shoulders. She had done the right thing to tell them that others were still alive.

Archer looked at Trip. He unzipped his left arm pocket and took out his communicator, moving over into a corner. He flipped it open and began to speak.

"Archer to Enterprise."

"Go ahead Captain." T'Pol's voice came back through.

"I want you to prepare to leave and head back to Hundaria IV."

"Captain?" T'Pol questioned. Hundaria IV had not been a very good place to have visited in the first place, just over five years ago and since then they had tried to stay clear of that planet.

"I'll explain when we get back. Archer out." Archer replied and closed the communicator he then turned back to the group around the chair. Marlaya was now looking at Malcolm, just a few tears still trickling down her face. Malcolm brushed some of her hair away from her face and she nodded at him. It was obvious that Malcolm had asked if she was all right or something similar along those lines. Archer looked at Narzuc and gave him a nod. The Chancellor instantly translated that as 'it is time to say bye'. They had to go and rescue what was left of the Tarnisians back on Hundaria IV. Narzuc nodded back at Archer to show he understood. Leaving the room the group parted and made their way back to the shuttle.

"I hope we meet again soon captain Archer." Narzuc said as Trip jump into the pod, helping Marlaya in. Malcolm soon followed him.

"So do I Chancellor. But you understand the importance of what we have to do."

"Of course. Good luck."

Archer nodded and then jumped into the pod. He closed the hatch and took his place in the pilot's seat. The pod started up and then the thrusters kicked in forcing the pod to lift off the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

After a few minutes of flying through the atmosphere of the Torkayan Homeworld and a couple more in space, the pod was soon back in the launch bay. The away team got out and moved into de-con. Phlox cleared them all and they all left and went up to the bridge.

As Malcolm, Marlaya and Archer entered the bridge, T'Pol turned to them, she was standing just in front of the captain's chair, her hands neatly by her side as usual. Even though she wasn't showing it they all knew that T'Pol was confused as to the captain's recent orders of place to visit.

"Captain. I believe we had agreed not to return or go anywhere near Hundaria IV." T'Pol said as Archer entered the bridge. The Captain's orders were slightly surprising to the rest of the crew.

"Things change T'Pol." He replied. "We need to go back there cause there are Tarnisians back there. Marlaya remembers them."

As T'Pol and the rest of the people heard the captain's words they all looked at Marlaya in surprise. '_It has been five years since they had left, why were they going back now?'_ They all thought.

T'Pol retook her place at her science station, as Archer took up the position just in front of his chair.

Archer turned to Travis. "Set a course Travis."

"Aye sir." Replied the space boomer sitting at the front of the bridge. He began pressing buttons altering their course under his captain's orders.

"How many Tarnisians are there?" T'Pol asked. Marlaya wiped a few tears away as she replied.

"About 50." She managed to say as she took a deep breath. T'Pol could see that she had been crying and that she had only just stopped. Marlaya's eyes were red and the iris looked paler than it normally did.

"Travis, how long will it take us to reach the planet?"

"About 13 hours sir." Travis replied as he checked his scans and computer readings. Archer nodded and then turned to Marlaya.

"Get some rest."

Marlaya began to shake her head. "I can't sir. I have got to talk with Avide and Seejeah."

"I'll do that if you want." Malcolm said. Marlaya looked at him, her eyes looked heavy and her eyelids were beginning to droop. She sighed and then nodded her head. Archer watched as the two of them left the bridge, Malcolm's arm wrapped around the young woman's body for support.

Marlaya entered her quarters and saw the mess. Malcolm starred at the clothes on the floor.

"I can see now why you had to separate them." He began to pick up a couple of things and put them away tidily.

"I should get to work on clearing…" Marlaya began before Reed's voice cut in.

"Going to sleep!" Malcolm quickly interrupted. "That's the only thing you need. After that treatment back on that planet you need to sleep." Marlaya sat down on her bed heavily, taking a pair of trousers and throwing them on the floor. However she didn't want to… now she knew what had happened she was afraid that while she was sleeping those memories would come to her, and she wouldn't be able to escape them. She just wanted to stay awake and be with someone right now. Malcolm could see the fear in her eyes. "I'll stay here and clear everything up while you're sleeping."

Marlaya looked at him. At that moment the door chimed. "Come in." She called. The door slid open and Ba'Dan stepped into the room.

"Is it true Marlaya?"

Obviously Archer had told him what happened to her. All Marlaya could do was nod her head. Ba'Dan stepped further in as Marlaya stood up, and both were comforting each other. Deciding that now would be a good time to go and talk to Avide and Seejeah Malcolm silently left the room. The door closing softly behind him.

He moved along the corridors and finally came to where the guest quarters were located. He unlocked one door and went in. sitting on the bed was Seejeah.

"Seejeah?" Malcolm moved in and bent down. Immediately the young girl moved over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry daddy. We didn't mean it."

Malcolm rubbed a hand on her back giving her comfort. "Mummy's just going through a tough time at the moment. But you've got to admit, you did make rather a mess of your quarters this time."

Seejeah stayed silent, just slightly nodding her head as she sniffed and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her green top.

"Let's go and find Avide." Malcolm took Seejeah's hand and led her out of the room. Malcolm unlocked the second door and stepped in. He couldn't believe his eyes. Avide was lying on the floor in the middle of the room… the sheets from the bed strewn across the floor. "Avide! What have you been doing!" he moved forward and tightly hugged the young girl.

"I don't like it when mummy shouts at us." She managed to blurt out through her sobbing.

"I know sweetheart…but mummy's been rather pressed with work recently, and the last thing she wants right now is to have to clear your room. Why was it such a mess?"

Avide stayed quiet and so Seejeah answered for her. "We were playing hide and seek."

Malcolm sighed heavily. "Well the next time you play hide and seek… try and keep the room as tidy as you can, all right?"

The two girls nodded. Avide wiped her eyes dry with her sleeve.

Malcolm looked around the room… "Well I would call the maintenance crew to come and clear this up… but I think it would be good practise if both you girls tidied this up… now I know, Seejeah, that you didn't cause this mess, but you did help cause the mess in your own room… So clear this up with Avide to show me just how well you can do it."

"Ok daddy." The two girls replied in unison and together, without any hassle, they worked on getting the room fit for any guests that may come along. Malcolm for most of it stayed at the side, only helping to show them how to tuck the sheets under the mattress so it was tidy, and then they could do the other three corners themselves. It wasn't long before the bed was straight and the room looked like it had never been a bombsite.

"Good girls." Malcolm then bent down to them and they walked over. "I think that after that you both deserve to have a drink."

The twins nodded in agreement. Malcolm stood up and took Avide in his left hand and Seejeah in his right and the three of them moved off to the mess hall. There he managed to find a couple of his security team willing to look after them for a couple of hours.

With the twins now safely with someone else, Malcolm made his way back to Marlaya's room. He entered without ringing the door so as not to wake Marlaya if she was asleep… and he was right to do so. She was sleeping peacefully on her bed, and Ba'Dan was tidying up the room.

"Lieutenant" Ba'Dan whispered as he moved over to him.

"I see everything here is under control." He replied as he picked up a top and hung it in the wardrobe.

"She told me everything. I wish I had been there with her."

"You didn't know it was going to happen." Malcolm replied, gently placing a hand on Ba'Dan's shoulder for comfort. He picked up a dress that was half hanging off the bed. Instantly he recognised it… it was the blue dress that Vinnie, the ship's quartermaster, had made for Marlaya the first night she had a meal with the Captain, 5 years ago. He gazed at it wondering if it still fitted her. she had looked so beautiful that night. It was a night that Malcolm would never forget in a hurry. Her hair so neatly tied back, and the way the dress had hung made her look taller. As he looked closer at the shimmering material he realised that there was a big tear in it. "I'll get this down to Vinnie for him to repair. Will you be all right here?"

Ba'Dan looked at his sister and sighed. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

Malcolm gently patted Ba'Dan's shoulder and left with the dress. He knew that his question was really a silly one as Marlaya was always in good hands with Ba'Dan around.

Malcolm took one last look at the sleeping form of Marlaya and then left the room.


End file.
